ORCHIDS. 



135 



orange at the base, tails brown. Lip flat and broad, 

 lengthened out into a tail like the petals, reddish- 

 brown. Summer months. New Grenada, at 8,500 

 feet elevation. 



Vanda. — This is perhaps the most stately genus 

 to be found in the whole order, for the majority of 

 the species are very ornamental, even when not in 

 flower. They are all natives of India and the Indian 

 Islands, and have been allowed to retain their 

 Hindoo name, which is, however, more properly 

 applied to parasites than epiphytes. Yandas require 

 for the most part strong heat, and an atmosphere 

 well charged with moisture, especially during the 

 growing season ; and although we read of the severe 

 drought which some species have to suffer naturally, 

 it must not be attempted under artificial treatment, 

 or the specimens will be much disfigured and reduced 

 in value ; therefore, water carefully during winter, 

 giving just sufficient to maintain the leaves in a 

 plump condition without exciting them to grow. 

 General treatment same as for Aerides, which see. 

 East Indian House. 



V. Batemanii. — Stems erect, leaves arranged in a 

 distichous manner, which relates to all the species, 

 and need not be repeated. Leaves thin and coriaceous, 

 standing out straight and stiff. Raceme bearing 

 from ten to twenty large, thick, and fleshy spreading 

 flowers. Sepals and petals nearly equal, golden- 

 yellow, spotted all over with crimson, purplish crim- 

 son behind. Lip crimson. Summer months. Near 

 the sea, Philippine Islands. 



V. Bensoni. — A small-growing species ; leaves 

 about six inches long, oblique at the apex. Spike a 

 foot or more long. Raceme ten to fifteen-flowered, 

 flowers about two inches diameter. Sepals and 

 petals white behind, green in front, dotted all over 

 with reddish-brown. Lip three-lobed, side lobes 

 small, white, front lobe bifid, soft violet. Summer 

 months. Rangoon. 



V. Cathcarti. — A distinct and handsome species, 

 having much the habit and appearance of a Renan- 

 thera. Leaves linear-oblong, falcate, some eight 

 inches long, bi-lobed, and the summit pale green. 

 Racemes pendulous, flowers about two inches and a 

 half across. Sepals and petals broad, nearly equal, 

 concave, pale yellow, very thickly streaked with 

 transverse lines of chocolate-brown. Lip three- 

 lobed, side lobes small, white, sparingly streaked 

 with brown at the base ; front lobe reniform, with a 

 white margin and a swollen centre, which is yellow, 

 with a crenate border. Spring and summer months. 

 It is found in hot shady valleys, in the neighbour- 

 hood of water. Eastern Himalayas. 



V. coerulea. — This lovely species requires less heat 

 than the majority of this family. Leaves equally 



truncate. Spike twelve to eighteen inches long, 

 bearing ten to twenty flowers, which are upwards 

 of four inches across. Sepals and petals oblong- 

 obtuse, the latter smaller, and twisted at the base, 

 all soft pale blue, tessellated with a deeper shade of 

 the same colour. Lip small, linear- oblong, deep 

 violet. Winter and spring months. Northern 

 India. 



V. coerulescens. — A small-growing species, with 

 leaves about six inches long ; these are about an inch 

 broad, coriaceous in texture, keeled beneath, deep 

 green. Scape erect ; raceme ten to twenty -flowered, 

 each flower upwards of an inch across. Sepals and 

 petals nearly equal, somewhat spathulate, soft lilac in 

 front, darker behind. Lip smaller than the petals, 

 front lobe flat, and dark blue. In the variety 

 Boxattii the sepals and petals are nearly white, and 

 the lip has a white marginal border. Spring months. 

 British Burmah, at about 1,500 feet elevation. 



V. cristata. — A small-growing plant with less 

 beauty than most of the species. Leaves channelled, 

 truncate at the apex, four to six inches long, an<f 

 deep green. Raceme three to six-flowered. Sepal s 

 and petals greenish - yellow. The lip three-lobed, 

 side -lobes small and incurved, middle lobe broad 

 and flat, unequally three-horned in front, ground- 

 colour yellow, striped longitudinally with raised 

 lines or crests of reddish-purple, in some varieties 

 approaching black. Spring and early summer. 

 Nepaul. 



V. Denisoniana. — This species undoubtedly is 

 nearly allied to V. Bensoni, which it resembles in 

 growth. Professor Reichenbach alludes to the re- 

 curved lobes of the labellum, which he says is a 

 point of distinction, and which he likens to the tail 

 of a blackcock ; but we find the same feature in V. 

 Bensoni. It is the first species of this genus with 

 white flowers ever discovered. Racemes five to ten- 

 flowered, each flower two inches across, and pure 

 white. Sepals and petals somewhat spathulate. Lip 

 broad, the disc bearing fine elevated lines, the front 

 lobe recurved on each side. Spring and early summer. 

 Aracan Mountains. 



V. gig ant ea. — This species is very massive, indeed 

 it bears the same relation to the other Vandas as 

 Agave Americana does to the smaller-growing mem- 

 bers of its family. Leaves broadly strap-shaped, 

 eighteen inches or more long, very thick and fleshy, 

 dark green. Raceme pendulous, from the weight of 

 its fleshy blooms, bearing ten to fifteen flowers, each 

 three inches across. Sepals and petals nearly equal, 

 oblong - obtuse, inclining to spathulate, rich deep 

 yellow, spotted and blotched with dark brow T n. Lip 

 small, white, faintly tinged with purple on the 

 side lobes. Spring and early summer. British 

 Burmah. 



